You Would Laugh
by The Blood Essence
Summary: Post Mill. World. The Items are gone; life is almost back to normal... almost. Marik suspects that a KC computer program may have the potential to open the gate to the after-life again... maybe even re-write history. Not a romance FF
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Thunder clapped ominously. Water sprayed in a fine mist from underneath the spinning rubber tires of Marik's bike. Struggling to see through the tinned visor of his helmet, he swerved perilously around the corner of a wet deserted city street. The streetlights flickered on momentarily, illuminating the rain drops that skimmed across his dark Middle-Eastern skin as he rode through the growing twilight. His mission was vital; it could be only a matter of months before the memory world was reopened.

Suddenly, from the midst of the cityscape around him, his destination rose against the horizon. Kaiba Corp, one of the largest technological leaders of the world. With pressing urgency, Marik revved his motorbike onwards. It was a clear shot to the building. The next moment a striped bar blocked his way. The controls to raise it were located somewhere inside the security both. Too late. Marik had no time, and no intention, to stop. He threw all his weight against the pull of gravity. His stomach lurched and he felt his center of balance shift drastically. The bike fell flat against the ground as the forwards motion kept it moving. Marik's head was dangerously close to the ground as the motorbike slid under the bar. With a horrible grating noise and a flurry of sparks Marik emerged on the other side of the checkpoint. He was lying a mere few feet away from the double glass doors that permitted entrance to the Kaiba Corporation main headquarters. Rising from the wreckage of his bike, which Marik surmised needed a new paint job anyway, he headed towards his destination. Blindly groping at the wet intercom system, Marik held his arm in pain. His left elbow was luckily the only damage he had sustained in the dramatic entrance.

"Kaiba!" Marik angrily shouted at the small tan box while banging on the large button. "Shachou!"

"Name and occupation." The fractured voice came back over the system.

Marik glared at the intercom. "Marik Ishtar. Anthropologist, area religion, sub-set archeology." He waited, every moment the drizzle of rain becoming closer to a downpour.

"Access denied."

"Damnit Kaiba!" Pounding on the box now, Marik took out all his frustration on it. "Get this door open, now!" As the echo of voice faded from his ears, he stood in utter silence. Fatigue from the trip suddenly catching up with him. The numbness that had originally kept the pain in his arm at bay was wearing off, Marik began to consider the possibility he had fractured part of it. Lightning split the sky. Dropping to his knees in the rain Marik hugged his arm close to his body as he started to quiver uncontrollably. His bike probably wouldn't run at this point, his left arm was almost completely dysfunctional, and it was getting on nine thirty at night with a storm warning. He longed for the comforting presence of his Sennen Item. Alas, it was lost with rest of them when the Pharaoh crossed into the afterlife and the tablet was destroyed. It was unlike Marik to admit defeat so quickly, but he had been running on empty for days now. The necessities he had been denying himself for this past week were taking their toll.

"Pathetic." An all too familiar voice crackled across the intercom. "It must be something especially ridiculous you have to tell me, considering you came all this way, in this weather none the less. Enter center door Ishtar, and head to the clinic when you get in. You're lucky we have a few nurses working overtime today." A small click and the red light on the box went out.

Torn between gratitude and annoyance Marik nodded to the security camera and entered the building.

There was a small airlock between the outside world and the Kaiba Corruption, Marik stood there for a moment on the rubber rug looking into the lobby. So caught up in the journey, Marik hadn't thought about what he would do when he reached the destination. It was crucial Kaiba believed him and let him access the computer files he needed, but Kaiba sounded as skeptical as ever. Marik disliked thinking about what could happen if Kaiba didn't allow him access. It would result in at least the return of the shadows games and in the worst case scenario… the rewriting of the past.

Composing himself, Marik entered the lobby. To the right of the abandoned front desk Marik saw the nurse's office. With a defiant glare Marik ignored Kaiba's requested and headed directly for the elevator.

**End Chapter one**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

The elevator hummed and shot upwards, making Marik's already unsettled nerves jump. Regaining his breath a little, he took stock of his arm. Feeling had started seeping back in, while bloodied it seemed only twisted. Leaning against the wall Marik closed his eyes and composed his thoughts. Though there had been many mishaps in the virtual reality pods, he himself had never gotten all the details. Though most disturbing was the incident in Duelist Kingdom, an incident none seemed to remember well. Unsurprisingly of course, Yugi Mouto had just become aware of the tangled web he'd set foot in, and undoubtedly put little stock in the ravings of a delusional man. But Pegasus's entire goal in acquiring control of KC was these pods. With some shady magic and these machines... Marik shuddered, the implications were great.

Of course, Marik told himself, there was the possibility it wouldn't open. And all this would amount to was some harmless computer programmings. Interesting, but programmings none the less.

It stopped, almost eight minuets latter. Rolling down his jacket sleeve to hide the scratches he stepped out into a white washed hallway. One door was directly opposite him. Knocking on it loudly, a green light near the top blinked on and a cha-chunk noise resonated as the lock was disarmed. Pulling on the handle the door slide aside and Marik stepped in. The entire elevator ride Marik had been figuring how to put it all exactly, but even if he'd come up with something, at the moment, it couldn't have mattered less. The imposing room started him down and won. Marik's eyes were examining the blueish grey carpet around his feet. Kaiba's high back swivel chair was turned from him at the moment, the CEO apperentely admiring the storm outside through the glass wall.

"Shachou," Marik finally looked up and said loudly. "What can you tell me about the virtual world. Was it destroyed during Battle City?"

"So you're here to talk to me about technology?" Kaiba voiced the questing to his own reflection in the window.

"Mostly, yes."

"I'm disappointed then, seeing as I was in the mood for a good ghost story. And you and Yugi always tell the best occult fantasies." He sneered, sounding in a worse mood than early over the intercom. "Didn't I tell you to get that arm fixed, I don't really want you _bleeding_ on the new carpet." By this point he turned the chair round to face Marik.

"Since when do I take your orders?" Marik laughed contemptuously. "And don't worry, the ghost stories are coming. Although, it really depends on what you tell me about the virtual world."

Resting his head in his hand, Kaiba laughed. "Would it surprise you if I said 'not a lot'? It's not like I make products I sell, Ishtar, I have a vague understanding of the principles behind those pods. But thats about it." He shifted slightly, resting his feet on his desk. "As to what happened within the world, that's classified." He smirked, "Sorry."

"Firstly, I don't believe you." Marik returned the facial expression. "My sister has a fairly accurate information system amongst a few circles. It would be fair to say your name... showed up." Throwing a manila folder near Kaiba's feet Marik shrugged. "Look at if you don't believe me."

Grimacing, but not making a move to get the folder, Kaiba asked, "You said 'firstly', what would the second part be?"

"Simply that I already gather the 'what' from Yugi and co., as much of it as I could any way. The rest I guessed at." He winked, "Your past is hardly a secret to me. Not that your dysfunctional family concerns me in the least bit, Kaiba."

"So, before we get into the details of your delusional occultist nonsense." Kaiba said, the coolness coming back into his voice. "What's your conjecture about all of it?"

"Do the words, 'Digital Soul' mean anything to you? It's not as though I don't see her, and the fact that I do means the worst may come to pass."

"Nonsense."

**End Chapter Two**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Kaiba's face had fallen for a moment, shadows of shock and disbelief flickering across his features. Marik making no move to explain himself, only smiled, the conversation won.

"You're talking nonsense." Kaiba disjointedly finished the sentence. "Digital souls," he spat the words, "Sorry, space cadet, I'm not the CEO you're looking for."

For the first time Marik did not jump to make a haughty response to Kaiba's insults. With a grave disposition he simply stated, "You're not taking this seriously."

"How can you expect me to!" Standing now, Kaiba shouted the words with a hint agitation in his voice. Thunder cracked behind him, then a flicker, and the power went out. "Perfect..." he laughed, "all the better for those ghost stories, eh Ishtar?"

No response. The gloom was thick and Marik could hardly be made out amongst the shadows.

"The generatore will kick in, in a moment." Kaiba mumbled this mostly to himself, slightly discomforted by Marik's stoney silence. The first set of generators roared somewhere below, lights along the edge of the room illuminated. "That's better." Kaiba commented, looking again at Marik.

"Who else knows?"

"Well I'm sure the grid was hit, possibly half of the city is out."

"Kaiba, you're wasting my time."

"Ha! You're one to talk, if this is such a bother I'll be happy to have security escort you to the door. Don't think I don't have important work to do." Kaiba had reseated himself, but that nervous note still hung on the edge of his voice.

"Then just tell me what you've been doing with the KC virtual reality programs, not that I can't already tell." His eyes flickered to another part of the room near Kaiba's briefcase, oddly, without actually following Marik's eyes, Kaiba looked to the same spot.

"I'm calling for security. Get out, Ishtar, and don't come back here."

"As you wish, but one last point-"

"What?"

"Is it ever actually shut down... or does the program on some level run continuously?"

"Technically yes, the virtual world always exists. Now I'm ordering you to leave!" Kaiba rose form his chair part way, but Marik was already in the hall.

"We'll be in contact. Later, Shachou."

**End Chapter Three**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

An eight minuet elevator ride and a phone call later, Marik was leaning against the glass wall in the lobby of KC waiting for his ride. It wasn't over, Kaiba would come around. Still, Marik was seething underneath it all. It had been weeks of being on the road and traveling to make it this far. The danger was real and Kaiba was the last key to unlocking it. A horn beeped. Glancing out into the rain, Marik could see Yugi's car illuminated by the neon glow of the KC sign.

"You look terrible." Yugi commented as Marik slid into the seat next to him.

"Shut up." Marik snapped, trying to dry off his hair.

"Geesh, lighten up Marik." Yugi mumbled, putting the car into drive. "I could have _not_ come to get you."

"Whatever..." He slouched back in the car seat, the towel still draped over his head. There was silence in the car for awhile as it sped through the night and down the empty city streets. It had been a long fifteen minuets before Yugi finally said,

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" There was a pause as Marik didn't jump to answer. "You don't have to or anything, but..."

"It looks like Kaiba has already perfected the mind uploading."

"So he's-"

"Yeah, it's safe to say all the pieces are there now..."

The car sped around a corner making water splash up in its wake. Another span of awkward silence filled the car. Yugi was digesting what Marik had just said. Breaking the silence Yugi asked, "where am I dropping you anyway?"

Marik shrugged, "Dunno, a hotel I guess."

"You could always stay at my place... fine never mind," Yugi conceded when Marik cast him a glare. "Just trying to be nice."

"Well I don't need your help."

"Just my car obviously."

"That's it. Stop- I'm getting out." Marik already had the car door part way open. Yugi slowed down to a stop.

"Come on Marik. Don't be stupid, I'm sorry, kay?" Yugi wasn't really about to stop him though. With a slam, Marik shut the door and walked out on to the wet sidewalk. Yugi rolled down the passenger window and shouted. "Keep me updated, alright?" It was unclear if Marik heard him, since he just kept walking away. "What an idiot..."

With a stream of taillights, Yugi's car vanished into darkness as Marik wandered aimlessly away.

**End Chapter Four**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

The dim city streets unwelcomingly stretched out in all directions. Blind anger had only lead him so far. Aware of his surrounding now, Marik began to realize he'd let his emotions taken advantage of him.

"I hate this city..." Glancing up at the sky-line, Marik could make out the dully lit dome of a rather large building. A building he knew fairly well. With a destination in mind, he relaxed and made his way to the entrance.

The outside stairs were slippery as he climbed, and it was always a gamble where he was placing his foot in the darkness. At the top he stopped to find his wallet. This took several moments as he sorted through the dozen different pockets in his cargo pants. Successfully retrieving it and locating the correct plastic card, Marik swiped his ID though a small scanner on the wall. With a ding the locks audibly popped and Marik stepped inside.

At first it was nothing but darkness, the door automatically shutting behind him. But as he stepped out into the room pressure censors in the floor activated the lights. It was gloomy in the museum lobby this late at night. Typically the room was well lit with large windows and skylights, but now only the low power florescent lights buzzed here and there. His steps and even breath echoed through the building.

Marik looked around, disoriented for a moment, the museum was a lot different with out all the people there… when ever he'd been here it was only ever tuxes and clinking glasses. Ishizu seemed fond of hosting her new exhibits in this museum. When that happened he would sneak away to the staff lounge and stay there while Ishizu entertained.

With complete disregard for the "Staff Only Sign", Marik open the door to the lounge. It was fairly simple, microwave, fridge, sofa and a table with some magazines on it. Flopping down on the furniture Marik closed his eyes. He needed a plan…

It wasn't long before the door opened disturbing Marik's thoughts.

"Hey." He waved a little, as if the situation was a normal one. "Ryou, right?"

"Uh, yes." Stepping in, Bakura glanced around the room and noted they were alone. Marik reached over the table to pick up a magazine and perused it. "This'll sound a bit blunt but, Marik- what are you doing here?

"Huh? Oh, I needed a place to sleep."

"I see… Is Ishizu here?"

"Nope." Marik flipped through the pages.

"Alright…" Ryou Bakura sat down in a chair opposite the sofa.

"So, why are you here?" Marik asked, not lifting his eyes from the article he was reading.

"My dad Kinnda owns the building…" Bakura said awkwardly. "And my car broke down a few blocks away, so..."

Marik finally let the magazine drop, waving his finger a little he said, "Ya'know- I have seen you around here before. You're always with the guy Ishizu talks to a lot…"

"My dad, yes."

"That makes more sense…" Marik picked up the paper again, his revelation over. "You know, we've never really talked, have we?"

"Not that I recall. The situation was never, umm… appropriate."

"Ha, you can say that again." Marik's voice held a little resentment as he recalled the past.

"I'm just glad it's all over…" This Ryou really mumbled to himself, though Marik still heard him.

"You wish…

**End Chapter Five**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Marik tried to refocus on the magazine in his hands... but his restless mind wouldn't let him. Finally he threw it down and sat up. "History may be being re-written."

Ryou looked puzzled at the sudden, very un-Marik like, out burst. "What?"

"It's Kaiba; he's using the virtual reality pods to access information from the memory world." Marik paused to study Ryou's face. "You don't remember the memory world do you?"

"A little, but no- not really."

Sighing, Marik shook his head. "I don't really know what happened their either. But Kaiba has managed to recreate a soul by using the virtual reality system. And she is a memory from his past life... Which means I can only conclude that all of Kaiba memories have now shaped the game..." Marik started pacing the room. "It's possible that the memory world will be opened again, unless we intervene."

"Marik... isn't it just a video game we're talking about? How could virtual events possibly alter the course of history?" Ryou shook his head. "Creating a NPC and creating a soul are totally different. I don't think-"

"What if that NPC existed in our world? Would you still not consider it a soul?

"Yes, but how-"

"The Blue-eyes."

"I don't follow."

"He took his memory of her and downloaded it into the video game, perfected it. Then, extracted the data from the computer and sealed it in the card." Marik glanced away. "It is also possible that this computer data can be re-uploaded into a person's mind."

Both were quiet as they recalled their experience with the Darkness.

"So what are you saying, Marik? The memory world will re-open and this time they will fail to obtain the Pharaoh's name?"

"It's very possible, if not likely... Remember- this virtual world is only based off of Kaiba memories."

Marik had stopped pacing and was now facing the window. The horizon was illuminated by the faintest hint of pink. Neither spoke.

"So what are we going to do?"

Marik smiled. "Glad you asked. There is always the chance that I'm over estimating Kaiba and we're safe. And there is a very ease way to confirm that. It's too dangerous for our selves to venture inside the game- but we should be able to extract some of the player-character and down load them into our own consciousnesses."

"Marik- I think I know where you're going..." Ryou stood up and glanced around the room panicked. "Don't-"

"We're going have to extract the Yamis and have them re-possess us." Marik rolled his eyes. "It's not like I'm thrilled about this either but it will be the only way to see just what extent of damage to the past Kaiba has caused."

"But..."

"We'll need Yugi for this too."

**End Chapter Six**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Morning found Marik sleeping in front of the mini-fridge in the staff lounge, the door to which was still half open, and Ryou partly falling off the sofa a few feet away. The curtain-less window to the room had begun to filter in the sunlight, waking the two from their dreams. Ryou was the first to awake, the light dappling his face. Moving to get up, and subsequently falling off the sofa, Ryou called Marik's name. Fidgeting, Marik tried to ignore reality's calling and return to sleep, though he ultimately failed when Ryou started shaking him.

"'kay, I'm up," he grumbled, swatting at Ryou's hand. "My cell is on the table, call Yugi and arrange us a ride."

"Why don't-"

"Because he likes you better, that's why," Marik said, slamming the fridge door for emphasis. He tuned out Ryou and started to think about the next move they would have to make. He didn't relish the though of attempting to black mail Kaiba... but it was starting to look like the only option.

"Yugi says 15 minuets." Ryou snapped the phone and tossed it to Marik. "So, what's the plan again?"

"Not sure." Marik had moved to the sofa to pick up his jacket, slipping it on he started to head out the door. "Figured we'd make it up as we went along."

As promised Yugi's car pulled up a few moments later and the two entered in side, Marik taking shotgun and ignoring Yugi's bewildered look.

"So… where we headed?" Yugi finally asked.

"Kaiba Corp. HQ, we're going to have to figure out just how much damage Kaiba has caused with these 'virtual souls'." If Marik heard Ryou groan, he ignored him.

"Marik…?" Yugi asked in a worried tone, "What are you planning to-"

"Drive!" And with that, Yugi's blue Spectra shot off in the direction of the massive KC building.

It took 20 minuets, but eventually the threesome was standing outside a conference room in the KC main building. "I still don't know what we're doing here..." Yugi mumbled.

"Me neither..." Ryou sighed as Marik started banging on the door.

"Yo, director. We need to have a dialogue!" He shouted, far louder than required. The sliding door reluctantly opened, give the group access to the oval room.

"I thought I got rid of you yesterday, Ishtar." He paused glancing over Mark's shoulder, "Oh look, you brought back up. Thought all of you were out of my life for good, wishful thinking- eh Yugi?" Kaiba smiled.

"Did you read the documents I gave you yesterday?" Marik had ignored Kaiba's comment to Yugi.

"Yes, it was a wonderful story. Too bad you had no actual proof of any of it."

"But it-"

"Was all hearsay and conjecture. Nothing that couldn't be written off by my PR for sure." Kaiba seemed far more relaxed this morning than he had been the previous night, and this fact was frustrating Marik. He couldn't help his tone becoming petulant as he tried to regain control of the situation.

"You're bluffing Kaiba, if that information was made public your reputation would be ruined. Black magic, witchcraft, occult ceremonies, its all there!" Marik was almost shouting now.

"So I'd look like a millionaire with some eccentric hobbies, hardly ground breaking news. Most entrepreneur have at least one. Now, are you done wasting my time- again?"

**End Chapter Seven**

**Chapter Eight**

Kaiba could feel the light presence near his shoulder, flickering in and out of reality. She was the result of nearly a years work, cutting-edge technology, state-of-the-art holographics and, as Marik implied, some dark arts.

_The Pegasus file, _as it had come to be known, surfaced nearly three years after Duelist Kingdom. 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter eight

There was stunned silence for several moments after. Agitation made the room feel small and hot to its occupants. It was a deadlock; someone was going to have to play their hand, because neither Kaiba nor Marik seemed to be able to bluff the other out. Finally, Marik sighed resignedly. All of his fire and brimstone speeches and testosterone induced quips had failed him; he was going to have to level.

"Look…" He rested his hands on Kaiba's desk and leaned forwards, "We know you've been attempting to bring your dead girlfriend to life," this was Marik's best impersonation of a sympathetic person who actually cared, "the same way Pegasus tried to bring his wife back. You've downloaded your memories of Kisara into the Virtual World computer program, you completed her using code and now, with the help of some black magic," He tapped the manila envelope on the desk, "You've succeeded, mostly at least. You attached her soul to your Blue-eyes card and people like us can see her spirit. But Kaiba," he let his voice become slightly more gravely, "you've done a lot more than resurrect your girlfriend, you might have given Zork the final opportunity to shape the world to his ideals." Marik stopped, searching Kaiba's eyes for any hint that he gave a damn. Marik couldn't be sure, but he thought he saw something flicker behind his cornea.

"Marik," Kaiba leaned in closer to Marik's face, "let me make this very clear to you." His voice was almost done to a whisper. "You have thirty seconds to ask your question-" There was an audible pause, and Marik realized a second too late what was about to happen. Kaiba shouted the next part in his ear. "Before I have your corpses dragged out of my office by security!"

Pulled back off the desk, Marik cleaned out imaginary ear wax. Trying hard to act un-phased, he said, "a half an hour with the Virtual World Technologies, that's all we need. If the memory world is safe, we'll be out of your hair. If it isn't, well then we have bigger issues to worry about than your strange obsession with dead girls."

Kaiba ground his teeth for a moment. "Fine. Half an hour, that's it though."

Kaiba led the way from the conference room to the first set of emergency stair cases, he mumbled an explanation about how the Virtual World room was not accessible by elevator for security purposes. The first half of the trip consisted of Kaiba grudgingly stomping down half a dozen flights of stairs as Yugi and Ryou chatted aimlessly, Marik occasionally interjecting his own commentary. But as the sublevels became increasingly deeper, the talking slowly faded. The lights had grown dimmer and more noisy, and what were at first immaculately clean wall, railings and steps, had become grime coated and fungus infected.

"Cleaning staff isn't allowed into these levels." Kaiba obviously felt the need to offer some reason for the disgusting sate of his building. "This is where everything… important happens."

Finally, the correct door was located. It was unmistakably impenetrable, but the coat of green moss made it seem far less intimidating. The only part not overgrown was the retinal scanner. Kaiba leaned forwards to allow the process. A process which was fairly disappointing, it was nothing like in the movies. A red beam didn't shoot out into his eye, and a picture of his pupil didn't appear on a small screen. The machine just buzzed a little bit and eventually, after typing in a code on the touch pad, the doors opened and permitted them accesses.

End Chapter eight


End file.
